Talk:The Peasant and the Devious/@comment-30564209-20171002144731
As I write this, I haven't yet read Ben's review - I figure I should stop doing that, for it might occasionally influence my opinion. I'm very malleable. I have also not yet read anything on season 3 and 3.01. I loved every single thing. There wasn't anything about this episode that didn't work for me. I legit have no complaint, for the very first time. As it is, this is, to me, the best episode of the series so far, and it worked perfectly well towards making some previous complaints I had go away, namely regarding the Littles and Val. I suppose I should get the mystery out of the way first, for it is probably what I have to say the most about. A fine job you did on this one. As you know, I worried about the lack of focus - or, rather, the sparse focus - given to Silvia's story. I always took issue with her strings of appearances, and I still kinda hate that she made it to the first six episodes of the season, without ever doing much of anything, and then the very last two. It is just a bit unseemly to me, but it ultimately matters not and I will overlook it. I loved her story way more than I ever figured I would. As you know all too well, I don't ever put in the effort to try and guess what the outcome of the mystery plots is, as I'd rather be surprised and shocked than proven right. It still stumps me, however, that never was I ever able to guess that Silvia had once been one of Jorgio's whores. I guess I just always sort of took the business to be more recent? Idunno. But it worked so well, I love the connection you established between those two stories. Jorgio being Joe's father is an awesome twist (lol I never wondered about Rena's dad, ever), and there being a sibling out there makes for something to look forward to in season 3. I'm guessing it's either Ali, due to the letter she received, which would be sooooo awesome because it'd mean Jorgio was porking his own daughter without even knowing it, or Josh, given the clues provided by his troubled relationship with his mother - maybe she's damaged because she was once a dungeon whore too? Anyway, Rochelle's inclusion in the main mystery was a fantastic touch, and it qualms all possible concerns I could have had regarding the Littles' own story, which, as it was, I had pretty much accepted anyway. It's very tragic, everything that happened, particularly how Lily was inadvertently dragged into it. Silvia suffering from post-partum depression and wanting to kill her - and all - rape babies from that monster makes her motives very acceptable and strangely relatable, and her wanting to kill Rochelle as well is more than justifiable. I am very glad that Aliza kicked her mother out, as it makes perfect sense, but also that she defined it as "a long while", meaning she's not intently severing their relationship permanently. Joe and Joanna are still shippable and I'm glad they're on such good terms now, with the addendum that Josh himself is still shaky on the matter, and I suppose I'm glad there wasn't much of a fuss given to the two of them firing Rena. Heck, Jo even going on to try and say that he could stay with them for a while was a nice touch. Jo is just getting more and more likable as time goes by. Which is what can and should be said for Liz as well. She's getting to be more redeemable but with the usual helping of bitchiness that's always defined her, and I'm quite excited about her development, her relationship with Ali, and her new story as a movie star. Although I have to say, I'm not sure how I feel about the movie being centered around Liz's story rather than the butlers' as I expected, but I suppose that's just another way you guys found of defying our expectations, so, kudos, I guess, bring it on. I also expected Rena to immediately rope himself to the new movie project as is his wont, but I guess you're gonna leave that for season 3, which is smart, makes his growing closer to Mary all the more genuine and therefore easier to root for. I am of course quite curious as to what Ali received, while Jo's own mail doesn't pose much of a surprise, but I'm glad it was just the bloody knife - I legit worried for a second there it might be someone's severed head. The very first post-credits scene (hey, do you figure this show would have a long-running credits sequence with the actors' names, or just the title card with the names showing during the episode? Why don't shows credit the actors in the beginning anymore, not even sitcoms? Seriously, what is up with that?) was a hoot, with all the season 2 ladies getting together one last time and just throwing shade at one another. It hadn't dawned on me yet how the female cast doubled in size this season, with the additions of Rochelle, Kathryn and he/she/thing Selena. I'm gonna miss this. Here's hoping Mary and maybe Val make the cut next season for these poolside shenanigans. They're the female equivalent of the butlers meeting up at the café and should maybe take place more often. Or not, makes whenever they do get together feel all the more special. Twas just a nice touch for an already grand finale, is all. I wasn't sure what I felt going into the episode already guessing that we'd be shown "Remember"-style flashbacks, but they were all very nice and easy to get through, and seeing the season 1 characters all making a return was a joy, especially Justine. Now to give an all-round season 2 review: I loved it. It's funny how a final episode can make such a difference because, honestly, I knew all along that I liked season 2 way better than I did season 1, because, as I'd said before, it felt like the characters had better defined personalities, their traits being fully established and able to built upon. That being said, and especially with the previous episode, I worried that season 2 might have still hit the customary sophomore slump creatively, because the Littles' story was indeed a tad underwhelming, little focus seemed to be given to the stories that truly mattered, and Val, whom I predicted to be one of the Big Bads of the season, was a motherfucking mess. I actually enjoyed Val in this episode, though. Her motives are still shaky at best, and she's still a fucking illogical nut, but what she said about turning one's dreams against them was deliciously wicked. I predict she'll wreak a special brand of havoc next season, given what real Jo has said, and I am now looking forward to it more than ever. But again, please, PLEASE make her make sense. Josh and Brad's relationship was always bae, but oh my God, I fucking can't stand Juan. I just LOATHE him, so, so much. I seriously want someone to wring his neck. Everything was going so well for Josh and Brad and that mexican fucker had to swoop in and deliberately ruin it just cos, AND he was evil all along?? Lol that he's actually in a cartel. And lol @ feminist pills. I half-expected Brad to be butt-hurt at Josh and not take him back right away, but yet again you proved me wrong by having Brad take Josh back right away. I can never guess correctly with Brad and Josh and it always makes me happy really, cos they always go back to being bae when I expect shit to go up in flames. Everyone being together in a church at the end worried me (lol Josh is an atheist homo, but Jo explained that it was Juan's wedding and he's a catholic), but by the time everyone rushed out I'd forgotten about the potential for an explosion. Then Brad went back inside and boom, and honestly, whatever you decide is fine by me. Again, I have yet to see the main cast for season 3, but I'll just say, if Brad is alive, awesome because he's great and I love Brosh, but if he isn't, that's ok cos it could mean interesting stuff for Josh going forward, and it feels like he might already have some stuff set up for him (relationship with Jo, his mom, maybe being rape baby? drug cartel?) that doesn't necessarily require Brad to be around for. I'll be content either way. Ok gonna check the main cast now. Oh for the love of God you actually removed it. Lol motherfuckers. I'm not gonna do best butler or worst butler for this episode because everyone was honestly great, but I am gonna do it for the season as a whole. The best butler will be Joe. I don't know if he actually got the most best butlers as a whole (heck, Josh prolly did), but Joe was consistely interesting all season long, which is a fine job you did with the lead character. Looking back now, I relinquish all my concerns with everything he had going on all at once and applaud you over a job well done, which is easier to appreciate now that everything is (almost) over. Jovision is still moo for me, cos now it's gone for real and he never became an alcoholic again OR had cancer or whatever, so that feels like the most abnormal and least believable aspect of an otherwise perfectly written story. But again, I fully understand that it was your way of making sure Jo was in every act in every episode, so I'll take it. In additon to being interesting, Joe was consistently funnier as the season progressed - he lacked a distinctive personality in season 1, so I'm glad that was worked on. I liked that he worked with Josh this season, and can't wait for him to inevitably partner up with Rena in season 3. Joe also benefits from surrounding himself with a slew of great supporting characters. Which brings us to the worst butler, which, surprise surprise ohmafuckinggawd no never my life is shook it's Ben. Okay, I am now, for maybe the first time in ever, curious to see what's gonna happen next with Ben, and I'm glad he decided to report the rape (lol at how Val went to Selena, fun). Season 3 could be a fun one for him, fingers crossed. That being said, Ben being the worst butler doesn't make him, in any way, shape or form, the worst character. It's hard to decide which character is the worst, for the record, which I am sorry to admit, and even more sorry to disappoint you with. It could be Val, given the aforementioned (again, and again, and again and again) mess of a story she had. Could be Eli, who does next to nothing, and is probably only main because the real Eli is notable in the community now and expressed interest in your show but lol he's only read like five eps and he started waaaaay before me - I just care VERY little for Eli, and when I do care, I hate him (lol he caught lesbian love and they didn't much care). But - and this is perhaps the shocking part, and I'm sorry - the worst character this season was Ali. Ali. Because her characterization was all over the damn place. I think that Ali was likable as a character for maybe the first two episodes of the season (which, throwback, were excellent), but then her newfound assertiveness became straight-up rudeness. I get that she was going through a lot, what with carrying the rape baby, and I wanna sympathize, but there was hardly any moment in which she was likable. Her relationship with Ben has always been very confusing to me, because... well, you know how with OUaT, we are constantly told stuff but shown the exact opposite, like how Belle is supposed to be really smart but always acts a damn retard? It's like that with Ben and Ali, in the sense that they are, every now and then, treated as close friends who confide in one another, but then act the other way around. Ben couldn't even find it in himself to properly disclose to Ali his concerns with Val all season long, and Ali would barely hear him out anyway. They kept arguing all along, and Ali was oftentimes even mean to Ben. I sometimes wondered if it was because they had feelings for one another (glad that wasn't the case) but couldn't put it to words and so they acted mean because that was easier than admitting how they felt. I remember there being a moment (maybe in season 1, forgot the setting) in which Ali tells Ben she only likes him a friend, and I cringed at how awkward that moment is. Because that's another thing, everything about Ben and Ali feels awkward, and sometimes forced. I feel like maybe you were trying to recreate Zoila and Genevieve's friendship somehow, but it's anything but, and lacks all the charisma and lovableness those two had. I almost wish Ben would just go work with someone new, but that's probably not gonna happen. That being said, I'm excited for what Ali has coming up next, and adamant that she'll become more interesting, but she is definitely the one character whose personality needs the most working on. Also, a shout out to the great writing in this episode - I loved all the fun little tidbits like the narrative stating that the butlers should be getting back to their homeowners (rather than their homes) in the teaser. Just great writing all along, with lots of fun dialogue even during the dramatic scenes. Now, it's time to crown the best character of the season, who is also not a butler. It could be Joanna, whose story, personality and mystery got better and better overtime, and who consistently proved herself to be a bad-ass: her rescuing Rena was sick. And now that her cover is blown, one might expect her to become dull, but that's not the case, since there's still Nadia (ohai) to handle, and she may still keep secrets from Rena, despite the fact that they have a great relationship going now and promised to put all secrets aside. Oh sad that Meghan has cancer btw. Weird that she said "the cancer" first though. Is that a thing? Or just how she talks cos trailer trash? Idunno just sounded off. Anyway, ahem... could be Rochelle, who was a far, far better take on Betty Applewhite than Betty Applewhite herself ever was. Rochelle was fun and intriguing, her kids made for a great supporting cast, and her story proved to be much better than I ever anticipated, and I am very glad you didn't kill her off, which I didn't picture you would, because... I don't know, some characters you just don't kill off, you know? Some characters have a certain "unkillable" nature to them, especially comic relief characters, no matter how tangled up they get in the dramatic goings-on. But no, the best character of the season is, dum dum dum... Selena. Ku. Dos. I ended up adoring Selena. She may make even less sense than Val, but boy is she a hoot. You chose the best possible vessel to convey your opinions on all the socially conscious hot topics spreading throughout the internet like wild fire (hey I wanted this ep to be wildfire and it was, yay), and you did it in the most humorous way possible, with just the right amount of bite. Selena was someone you truly loved to hate, hated to love, loved to love and hated to hate, the whole shebang. Or should I say, zhebang? And her death was legit the most shocking thing about the entire episode - it had me SHOOK! And I loved every bit of it. I often wondered what would happen to this character after season 2, and lol, that. Fun. Btw I randomly clicked 312 to see if you'd also removed the main cast from it, and nope. Lol. Silvia is the 16th mainie then, fun. Didn't see that coming ever, tbh. Well, technically she's the 15th. So, SO relieved Eli isn't main anymore, and lol neither is Brad, oki. Look as you may already know, I will be going back to Coimbra this week, to see my friends. I'll only be going on Wednesday, but I don't wanna read any of season 3 until I get back home, so no DB for me this week (I'll return next Monday). Rest assured, I am excited to read season 3 (quite, even), but I think it's best this way, rather than having to pause mid-season like I did the last time I went to Coimbra. I won't even be taking any of my computers with me, I just intend on slacking off during the day and getting drunk every. Single. Night. Live it up before I have to return to the everyday frustration that is not having a job or a purpose in life. Yay? Anyway, this was a good season, this was a GREAT episode, be proud of that.